A modular building project said to be the UK’s largest and most complex completed in the health sector to date has been handed over and opened on time, despite a challenging programme.
The new Women and Children’s Centre at North Middlesex University Hospital was constructed by Kier Construction using a Yorkon off-site solution from the Portakabin Group to accommodate an increase in maternity patients; hospital staff say they expect to see around 5,500 births in the centre annually.
The £17.9 million ProCure21+ contract involved the off-site manufacture of the building at the Portakabin Group’s York production centre. Architects and project managers were AHP Architects & Surveyors
Catherine Barns, senior project manager, North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust, said, “Given this project’s extremely challenging timescale, we needed to look at more innovative methods of procurement and construction. Using an off-site approach we were able to deliver a fantastic building of this scale, on time, and in an unreal timescale.”
Simon Ambler, director of the Portakabin Group said, “This is our fourth project with Kier, and our largest ever contract for a single building.”
The building accommodates a consultant-led delivery unit with additional high dependency beds, two obstetrics theatres, a neonatal unit, triage centre, women’s outpatient department, a midwife-led birthing unit, and a second floor rooftop plant room. The project is targeted to achieve a BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating.
